The Science of Hair Loss and How PRP Therapy Can Help

Hair loss affects millions of people and can happen for many reasons, including genetics, hormones, stress, illness, and poor nutrition. While it’s normal to lose 50 to 100 hairs a day, excessive shedding can lead to noticeable thinning or balding that may affect your confidence and self-esteem. 

Fortunately, advances in hair restoration treatments offer new hope. One increasingly popular option is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy. Using the healing properties present in your own blood, PRP therapy can support hair follicle health and help stimulate hair growth.

At A&U Family Medicine in Sugar Land, Texas, Dr. Hammad Zaidi offers PRP therapy for hair loss. Learning more about the science of how hair grows — and what disrupts the process — reveals how PRP therapy can help.

Understanding the hair growth cycle

Hair grows tiny tubes beneath the skin called hair follicles. Each follicle goes through a natural cycle of three phases: 

Anagen (growth phase)

This is the active growth stage, when hair grows from the root at a rate of 1 centimeter a month. This phase lasts two to four years.

Catagen (transition phase)

During catagen, the hair detaches from the follicle and stops receiving nutrients and blood supply needed for growth. This phase lasts about two weeks. 

Telogen (resting phase)

Telogen is the resting phase, when hair stops growing and eventually sheds to make room for new hair growth. 

Disruptions in any of these phases can lead to hair loss.

Common causes of hair loss

Hair loss has many causes. Looking at patterns of hair loss can help identify the underlying cause and guide treatment.

Patterned hair loss

Patterned hair loss causes thinning the top and sides of the scalp. The most common cause is androgenetic alopecia, an inherited condition that shortens the growth phase and prolongs the rest phase, leading to gradual hair thinning.

Diffuse hair loss

Diffuse hair loss affects the entire scalp. Telogen effluvium is a common cause and often occurs  after physical or emotional stress, illness, pregnancy, or poor nutrition. These stressors prematurely push hair into the transition phase, causing excessive shedding several months later.

Focal hair loss

Focal hair loss appears as patches of hair loss. Alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition, is a common cause. It occurs when the immune system attacks hair follicles, disrupting normal hair growth.

How PRP therapy supports hair growth

PRP therapy contains a high concentration of your blood platelets, tiny blood cells packed with growth factors and healing proteins. When injected into the scalp, the healing properties in PRP support hair growth by:

• Stimulating dormant hair follicles
• Improving blood flow to the scalp
• Prolonging the hair growth phase
• Supporting cell repair and survival

Because PRP comes from your own blood, the risk of an allergic reaction or adverse effects is low. 

What to expect during PRP therapy

We perform PRP therapy at the office, and it usually takes less than an hour. After drawing your blood and preparing your PRP solution, we inject the concentrated platelets into multiple areas of the scalp. 

You may feel pinching and pressure during treatment. If you’re sensitive to pain, we can talk to you about numbing options to improve your comfort.

Most patients need a series of treatments for best results, often once a month for the first three to four months, followed by maintenance treatments every three to six months. Results vary, but many patients notice improvements in hair thickness and growth within three months.

Hair loss has many causes, but early treatment can improve results. If you have hair thinning or excessive shedding, schedule an evaluation with Dr. Zaidi to pinpoint the cause and explore treatment options like PRP therapy.

Call A&U Family Medicine today or book an appointment online to get help for your hair loss.